We begin our journey through this golden land with a freshly made welcome breakfast in the tranquil shaded gardens of the oldest lacquerware house in Bagan. Lacquerware is a traditional art that began when the Pagodas of Bagan were first being built in the 11th century and is still practiced today. We will then move onto the nearby Shwezigon Pagoda, famous for its gold leaf décor, and the Ananda temple, famous as being one of the four great temples of Bagan and one of most exquisite temples in Myanmar. A short scenic transfer takes us to The Strand Cruise for check-in and to meet fellow passengers over lunch. For those arriving in Bagan later in the day, our rendezvous point is aboard the ship. Once settled into your cabin, meet your fellow passengers for lunch prepared by our Chef.

During the afternoon, we will continue our exploration of the Bagan Heritage Trail, including the beautiful Sulamani and Gubyaukgyi temples. As the sun sets, admire Bagan’s magnificent sights over the Ayeyarwady river from the

ship’s sundeck, sipping one of the Strand Hotel’s signature cocktails, before joining your fellow travellers at the long tables of our fine dining restaurant for a dinner of sharing tapas, followed by a menu of gourmet cuisine and fine wines. Additional optional activities today include a guided visit by private car around Bagan or tickets to an evening performance of the nearby Dandaree show, a contemporary cultural show depicting Myanmar’s art and history.

Meals: Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: The Strand Cruise 

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning as we cruise downriver to the glass monastery of Tant Kyi Taung. Once ashore at the Tant Kyi river bank, a short transfer will take you to the monastery to witness the amazing view of Bagan from the hilltop, before descending the hill where a surprise awaits. By mid-morning, we begin cruising upstream toward Mandalay. The passing landscapes and typical Ayeyarwady villages have inspired many authors and artists throughout history, including Rudyard Kipling. As we cruise, lunch is offered either buffet style in the air-conditioned restaurant oral fresco at the more informal sundeck lounge while enjoying the beautiful landscape passing by. We will spend the afternoon drifting on the gentle waters of the Ayeyarwady, relax on the sun deck and enjoy the many activities and workshops arranged by our experienced crew, before enjoying a traditional Strand afternoon tea. As night falls, our ship will moor on a remote and wild section of the river. Surrounded only by the soft whispering of nature, our Captain invites you to a cocktail and dinner, followed by a traditional cultural performance on board. Night owls can linger in the bar over a glass of fine wine or single malt whiskey and recreate the golden age of the Strand as a meeting place for explorers and raconteurs. We also offer additional activity options today, including a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, where you can gently float above the 2,000 pagodas of Bagan.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: The Strand Cruise

Enjoy a late breakfast this morning as the ship will cruise until mid-afternoon when we arrive in Mingun. Throughout the morning, relax by the pool with a book or participate in the many activities and workshops prepared by the crew as we pass through the wonderful countryside. After a generous buffet lunch of international and Asian cuisine taken on the sun deck or in the restaurant, as you prefer, we will stop in Mingun, one of the country’s former capitals, at the foot of the unfinished pagoda, one of the largest pagoda’s ever constructed in the history of Myanmar. We will visit the pagoda by a popular local means of transportation, the Tuk Tuk. The pagoda is home to the magnificent Mingun Bell, claimed to be the largest uncracked hanging bell in the world. We will also visit Paya Hsinbyume, an impressive pagoda that rises in seven curved whitewashed terraces representing the seven mountain ranges around Mt Meru, the mountain at the center of the Buddhist universe. Once back onboard, relax and prepare yourself for a fabulous feast on the sand banks opposite Mingun (weather permitting) accompanied by local entertainment.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: The Strand Cruise

We begin our day with a freshly prepared breakfast while surveying the next and most awaited stop, Mandalay, the second- largest city and the last royal capital of Myanmar. Our first stop ashore is the U-Bein Bridge, a crossing that spans the Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura. The bridge is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world. We continue the Mandalay Heritage trail by visiting the Mahamui Buddha temple. Legend has it that the great Buddha himself visited the city of Arakan in 554 and that King Sanda Thuriya ordered a likeness of Buddha’s face to be created and placed in the temple. From here we visit the Shwe In Bin monastery before rejoining the Strand Cruise. After lunch on board as we cruise, we will explore Sagaing, the most important religious center in Myanmar, famous for its many hundreds of white, silver and gold pagodas and monasteries. A traditional local truck will collect passengers from the ship and bring them to the top terrace of the Soon U Ponya Shin pagoda to enjoy a stunning vista of Mandalay surrounded by its ancient royal capitals linked by the golden thread of the Ayeyarwady River. During the afternoon we will set sail again towards Ava, the ancient imperial capital of successive Burmese kingdoms from the 14th to 19th centuries. Horse carts await to transport guests for a delightful ride through the naturally preserved Ava landscape and key landmarks. We will have an exclusive mooring overnight at Ava next to a remarkable temple, allowing Strand Cruise passengers access to the site after the crowds have departed in the late afternoon until the following morning. As we reach the end of the day, a special Champagne Sunset Cocktail will be held overlooking the Ava bridge and Sagaing Hill as they are bathed in the evening glow, before a fabulous Shan style farewell dinner on board complete with traditional local performances. Additional optional activities today include a guided visit by private car.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: The Strand Cruise

This morning the monks of Ava will join us for a very special farewell before breakfast and our final cruise towards the Gaw Wein jetty in Mandalay, where guests will depart the cruise to the airport or their hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A